Page 50 of Through the Snow Globe
Metal clashed like thunder in the night. Diana yanked the steering wheel as hard as she could and then everything, once more, went dark.
Chapter 14
Fourth Time’s the Charm
Diana stirred in bed. Morning already? She didn’t want to wake up just yet. She felt like she’d run a marathon yesterday.
Or like she’d gotten hit by a delivery truck for the second night in a row. Diana’s eyes popped open and she rolled over to look at the other side of her bed where Linus was lying beside her. Diana stared at him for a long moment and then reached over to touch his face and confirm that he was real.
He stirred at her touch and then his eyes popped open too. He blinked sleepily and then shot up in bed, uttering a choice word. “I overslept.” Stumbling over his feet, he launched himself toward his closet.
Was today Christmas Day or a repeat of December 4th? She was afraid to know.
“What day is it?” she asked warily.
“December fourth. You need to get out of bed too,” he said, stopping long enough to look at her. “I have a meeting with a distributor and you have that big meeting with your boss today.”
“Not again.” Diana groaned and covered her face with her hands. The thought of going through the same sequence of events one more time was exhausting.
Linus absently scratched at the side of his unshaven cheek. “You okay? Why aren’t you getting up?”
She sighed and sat up in bed, draping her legs off the edge. “I am. Eventually.”
“Are you still mad about yesterday?” He walked over and sat on the bed beside her. “I tossed and turned all night because I felt bad for what I said. If you don’t want to marry me this year, we’ll marry next year. Or the year after. I’m sorry. Forgive me?”
Diana leaned in and kissed his lips, savoring the moment. If there was one good thing that had come out of repeating this day, it was that she could kiss him again. She could see his smile and feel the warmth of his breath against her cheek. “There’s nothing to forgive. I’m just glad you’re here.”
He wrinkled his brow. “Versus where? Did you think that one silly exchange would make me pack up and leave?”
“No.” But maybe she’d wondered that on the first December 3rd.
“Good. Because you’re stuck with me.” He stood and headed toward the bathroom where he’d been the other two mornings when she’d woken. She dressed as she waited for him to reappear. “Want me to take you to work this morning?” she offered as he stepped out.
He gave her a strange look as she handed him the tie with the silly dog pattern. “How’d you know this is the tie I wanted to wear today?”
“Good guess, I suppose. A ride?” she asked again.
“No, thanks. I can drive myself.”
“I think you said your truck was low on gas, though,” she offered.
“Did I? I don’t remember that.” He grabbed his keys and kissed the side of her cheek. “See you tonight.”
Diana nodded. “Tonight.” There was no use in arguing with him about meeting for lunch or skipping the day and spending it together. “See you then.”
“Good luck with your big meeting,” he called behind him.
“Thanks.” Diana watched him leave and waited before stepping out to see him get back out of his truck.
“It won’t start,” he said with a perplexed look on his face. “How did you know that?”
“You told me. So would you like a ride after all? I don’t mind driving you.”
Linus thought for a moment and then shook his head. “That’s all right. I’ll just take my bike. Exercise will be good. It’ll be fine. And I don’t want you to be late for your patients. Which you will be if you don’t get going.”
“Right. I love you.”
“Love you too.” He gave her an assessing look. “Everything okay with you this morning?”
